


Plays Pretty For Baby

by xxcaribbean



Category: One Direction (Band), Real Person Fiction
Genre: Comfort, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Slash, ziam
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-19
Updated: 2012-09-19
Packaged: 2017-11-14 14:23:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,571
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/516149
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xxcaribbean/pseuds/xxcaribbean
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Liam has issues. He knows he does because he feels like Zayn could do better than him. Zayn, on the other hand, doesn't agree with that.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Plays Pretty For Baby

**Author's Note:**

> So, I got inspired by _she never lets it go to her heart_ by tim mcgraw. Song is [here](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ckcjrDjAI8) and lyrics are [here](http://www.cowboylyrics.com/lyrics/mcgraw-tim/she-never-lets-it-go-to-her-heart-7030.html), and I suggest you read the lyrics (it is a country song and I know a lot of people wouldn't want to listen) because it may help you understand the context of this piece because I'm pretty sure this isn't as good as it could be, and it's all over the place and omg. /shrug
> 
> Also read on [tumblr](http://thesimpleartofwriting.tumblr.com/post/31845588126/title-plays-pretty-for-baby-pairing-liam-zayn) or [livejournal](http://colormepretty11.livejournal.com/4581.html).

Sometimes Liam doubts Zayn.

He hates that.

But Liam isn’t like his boyfriend. Liam isn’t sexy or mysterious. He’s just nice, the kind of guy that any parent would be pleased to meet.

Boring.

Zayn though… Zayn can draw a crowd with his looks, with his charms. All he has to do is walk in a room and he has everyone’s attention.

And it’s a vain thing to say.

People should be focused on how smart he is and what he thinks about life, and his decisions and why he does and says what he says.

But in their world, no one cares.

Liam’s well aware that Zayn is good looking. He’s also clued in to the fact that Zayn is in the position to pick and choose what kind of people he wants to date, who to sleep with and someone he just wants to make out with.

Point is, Zayn has a lot of options, and Liam knows it.

Yet, Zayn is Liam’s, and Liam is Zayn’s.

It’s always been that way, right from the beginning. There’s no labels or words that could describe what they have because at the end of the day it’s just the both of them with their hands and mouths and bodies and that’s all the two of them need.

Sometimes though, Liam realizes that Zayn needs to get away from it all, not just him, but the crowds and the spotlight that tends to surround them at every waking moment.

So Zayn goes out with the boys, leaving Liam all to himself because he doesn't drink, and he feels too old for that atmosphere anyway. Usually he's alone too unless someone decides to stick behind, which is a rare thing all in itself because they mostly go out clubbing because that way they can all have a good time and Niall can actually pick up a few birds.

It's the aftermath of it all that really gets to Liam. Zayn usually comes back tipsy, if not drunk, while the other three loons are busy shouting up and down the hallway because they're so drunk they can't see straight.

And this shouldn't irritate Liam as much as it does because Zayn always returns. He always comes back because that’s how Zayn and Liam are.

That’s how Zayn works... even if he has the option to have anyone he wants.

It’s never really bothered Liam either. He’s known the kind of things that Zayn has done and who he’s been in the past and that’s okay with him because he’s made plenty of mistakes too and Zayn loves him just the same.

But tonight really hits home for him that Zayn is more. Zayn is…

Zayn is with Liam for what reason?

Niall’s currently laughing his ass off, drunk as shit and he keeps pointing at Zayn and leaning on Louis who’s surprisingly holding his liquor better than the Irishman.

“You shoulda see all of them lining up just to dance with Zayn!” he crows.

Liam’s the only one sober right now. He’s too busy fending off Harry because he’s the touchy-feely kind of drunk who just wants to touch and be touched.

“Don’t you worry, Liam, okay?” Harry says. He’s currently poking Liam’s cheek with his finger while Liam’s busy trying to pull both of his friend’s hands away from his face. “Zaynnnn did not dance with anyone. Don’t be mad!”

Liam doesn’t respond. Instead he grabs Harry’s hands in his and walks him over to the bed and orders him to sit down while he helps take off his shoes.

“No, I can do it.” Harry removes his hands from Liam’s as soon as he’s sitting down and shoos Liam away so he can begin fumbling around, trying his best to pull the converse off his feet despite the fact that they’re tied and will not be coming off no matter how hard he pulls.

Liam leaves him to it though, not bothered to care anymore.

He has no right to be pissed; he’s  _not_  jealous because nothing happened, at least according to a drunk Harry. And it’s not like Liam believes that Zayn would do anything with anyone else, but he wouldn’t hold a grudge against him if he did because Zayn is Zayn, and he can have anyone.

Tonight, Liam feels as sober as he’s ever been in his life because he realizes what he has.

He has Zayn, and everyone wants Zayn.

No one really wants Liam.

Louis gives Liam a look before he’s stalking over to the other bed in the room. He situates Niall so he can push him down on top of the covers and leave him there despite the fact that Niall’s claiming he isn’t drunk enough yet and they still have all night to make it happen.

From his movements, Liam can tell that Louis isn't that drunk, and he's mildly grateful because he'd been the one to make sure they all got home safely. Liam doesn't say anything though because it's a mutual understanding between them all, and when Louis is finished pulling Niall's feet onto the bed, he turns away so that he can join Harry, helping the boy take off his shoes after giving up and deciding to stare at his feet in anger because they wouldn't come off.

Liam shakes his head and moves away from them all, towards the hotel door. He doesn’t look at Zayn, just passes him, and he doesn’t tell any of the other lads goodbye before he’s out the door and walking down the hall to his own room. He can faintly hear someone follow him, and he knows it’s Zayn. The other boy hasn’t said anything to him, and he’s pretty sure that Zayn won’t speak until they’re in the privacy of their room because that’s how Zayn is.

He’s the quite, brooding type of person who only gets angry and wants everyone to leave him alone until he cools down.

Liam’s not really like that. He rarely gets angry, but Zayn always knows how to fix it, and he’s sure that Zayn will do it this time too.

“Liam,” he says right after they enter his hotel suite.

Liam heads straight for the bed, not bothering to dig into his suitcase for any type of clothes to wear to bed. He walks over to the closest mattress and climbs in, tucking his body underneath the covers and rolling to his side so that he’s facing away from where Zayn is.

He’s so childish, he knows that much.

“Don’t ignore me, Liam. You said I could go out.”

And then Liam feels bad because yes, he did say Zayn could go out, and he’s acting like a crazy girlfriend who has a collar wrapped so tightly around their man’s neck that they’re not allowed to even breath without their say so.

Liam doesn’t want to be like that.

“Come lay down, Zayn,” he says.

It’s not long after that when he feels the bed dip and Zayn crawling closer to his boyfriend before laying down too.

“What’s wrong?”

Liam stares up at Zayn before sighing.

“Sometimes I’m scared you won’t come home until morning.”

The bed shifts again because Zayn is moving closer to Liam until he’s right next to him, bodies aligned. They’re face-to-face, probably too close for comfort, but it's apparent that neither of them care because Liam can make out the exact details of Zayn’s features and they're beautiful.

He’s got incredible eyes. They’re an almond shape and narrow and they’re framed with thick black lashes that any girl would die for. His skin is the color of deep honey and it glows in the dimly lit room. Zayn’s lips are narrow with concern, and Liam watches as his tongue swipes over the delicate skin, wetting the area before he's speaking again, “Liam, I always come back.”

_To you._

Zayn doesn’t say that.

It hurts.

“Why do you come back though?” It’s a burning question, and he’s never felt this vulnerable about anything in his life because Liam loves Zayn. He does, and he trusts him. He does. But there are moments when he thinks that Zayn can and will do better than boring old Liam.

“Because I love you.”

It’s as simple as that, and then Zayn’s smiling so wide despite the fact that his eyes are slightly clouded over by drunkenness.

“Don’t you love me too, Liam?” he asks.

That breaks Liam’s heart because Zayn shouldn’t ever have to question that.

“Yeah, I do.”

Zayn’s grin gets even wider, and Liam’s not sure how but he’s happy, and it’s contagious, and Liam can feel the corners of his own mouth turning upwards until he’s smiling just as big as Zayn.

“Good, that’s good.”

It’s a murmur on the tip of Zayn’s tongue, but it’s there and it means a lot to Liam.

x.x.x.x

They’re at a club and Liam’s not happy.

He remembers the conversation from a few nights ago and they’re stuck in some random city and Louis and Niall had convinced everyone to go out because they claimed they deserved it.

Liam only wanted to stay at the hotel, and while he knows he’s not fun, and he’s not a party animal, Zayn had slotted himself up against Liam’s side and whispered sweet little things in his ear, promises of a great night if he went just this once.

Liam’s mind had been swayed after that, because how could anyone really deny Zayn anything he wanted?

But now, Liam’s sitting by himself at the table because Harry and Louis are too busy grinding on one another to give a shit. Niall’s found some pretty girl on the dance floor that has somehow multiplied into about four or five women in the last two songs, and Zayn is nowhere to be found.

He scans the club, looking past the crowd of people, despite the fact that they’re in the VIP lounge, and he has a hard time making out anything really because of all the lights and the bass of the music rattling the foundations of the building.

Liam thinks it’s obnoxious and unnecessary because how is this fun when he’s all alone?

But then he spots him. Zayn. He’s at the bar obviously ordering drinks and there’s a few people on either side of him that seem like they’re too busy doing shots to give a fuck who they’re sitting next to.

Though, there is one male close to Zayn who is talking, and although Liam can’t make out what he’s saying exactly, he can tell that he’s talking to Zayn and Zayn is smiling right back.

He’s not jealous. Liam doesn’t really have the right to be.

He watches though as it all plays out. Zayn’s still there at the bar, waiting for his drink to be fixed while this guy is most definitely hitting on him.

It doesn’t take long for a few other people to turn their heads in his direction either because Zayn’s that type of person. All eyes are on him and while most of the time he flusters under so much attention, Liam’s very aware that when Zayn has a couple of drinks in him and his body is loose, his true personality tends to peak out from under it's veil Zayn hides behind during the day.

The guy is still talking, and Liam still watches. There’s not much he can do because he doesn’t want to go over there and act a certain way and have people think that he’s crazy and won’t let his boyfriend out on his own.

But then as the bartender comes over and hands Zayn his drink, Zayn's hand makes his way to the guys arm before he pats it and turns away, walking straight back towards Liam and their table.

Liam’s slightly confused.

Zayn sets his drink down as soon as he gets to the table, completely ignoring it after the time spent waiting for the damn thing. Instead, he reaches over and tugs on Liam’s hand and pulls him out of his seat so that they’re standing in front of one another.

“We’re dancing,  _now_.”

Liam shivers because it’s a demand and while Zayn’s voice is laced with alcohol, it’s firm and commanding.

Zayn pulls him out onto the floor and wraps his arms around Liam’s waist so that they can press closer together. Liam can instantly feel bodies of other people dancing, the crowd around them, but he pays them no mind as he watches Zayn watch him.

There’s a glint in his eye, one that looks a little too wild and dangerous for Liam’s liking but he decides to relax his shoulders and go with it despite not being able to dance very well, especially in this setting with this many people around.

“You were watching me.”

Liam sees the movements of Zayn’s lips first before the words catch up with his brain. Zayn has to yell over the music and the noise, but that’s okay because Liam heard his every word.

He only nods because he can’t find it in himself to say that yes, he’d been watching Zayn a little too closely and that wasn’t right because he does trust Zayn, and it’s the people around him that he doesn’t particularly like.

Zayn somehow moves closer to Liam when there’s no response. His mouth ends up right next to Liam’s ear and he can feel the other man’s heated breath on his skin.

“Jealous Liam?” he asks.

Liam clutches what he can of Zayn, curling his fingers around the material of the other mans shirt.

Zayn chuckles and continues his movements, forcing his hips into Liam’s to keep them on rhythm because Liam knows he’s not trying very hard to blend in.

“I hope you know that none of them matter.”

It makes Liam pull back just a bit, enough so that Zayn’s mouth is no longer near his ear but instead several inches away from his face.

It's too much for Liam, and he averts his gaze to the ground while his body stops moving, forcing Zayn to do the same.

They’re now just too people standing in the middle of the dance floor because Liam feels horrible for having such thoughts, but he knows Zayn.

He knows Zayn cares. He knows Zayn could have anyone.

Yet, tonight proved that he returned to Liam, just like he said he would. He’d been given the opportunity to take someone else’s hand and leave the club for the night, but instead he ignored it in front of Liam… physically  _showed_  Liam that the only thing he had eyes for was him.

“I told you I’d always come back to you.”

There’s a poke at his chest and when Liam looks down, Zayn’s fingers are there, running over the material of his shirt before sliding up, up, up to his collar bone and behind his neck where his hand eventually stops to grasp Liam and pull him forward in a hard, chaste kiss.

When Zayn let’s go of Liam, he doesn’t move his hand away from the other man’s neck, rather he tilts his head to the side, smirks like he’s keeping a secret and practically growls, “Now, take me home, fuck me hard and know that you’re stuck with me for good.”

Liam doesn't doubt Zayn after that.


End file.
